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The rise of Western power : a comparative history of Western civilization

The West's history is one of extraordinary success; no other region, empire, culture, or civilization has left so powerful a mark upon the world. The Rise of Western Power charts the West's achievements-representative government, the free enterprise system, modern science, and the rule of law-as well as its misdeeds-two frighteningly destructive World Wars, the Holocaust, imperialistic domination, and the Atlantic slave trade. Adopting a global perspective, Jonathan Daly explores the contributions of other cultures and civilizations to the West's emergence. Historical, geographical, and cultur.Read more...

Abstract:

The West's history is one of extraordinary success; no other region, empire, culture, or civilization has left so powerful a mark upon the world. The Rise of Western Power charts the West's achievements-representative government, the free enterprise system, modern science, and the rule of law-as well as its misdeeds-two frighteningly destructive World Wars, the Holocaust, imperialistic domination, and the Atlantic slave trade. Adopting a global perspective, Jonathan Daly explores the contributions of other cultures and civilizations to the West's emergence. Historical, geographical, and cultur.

Reviews

Editorial reviews

Publisher Synopsis

As a story of innovation and achievements in the history of the West, this is a fine book, with many insightful passages and interesting details. -- Professor John R. McNeill * Reviews in History * There is no better synthesis of the historical development of the West than this thought-provoking, informed, and readable book. -- Steven G. Marks, Professor of History, Clemson University, USA A refreshing, multifaceted narrative of Western history anchoring modern developments in a thorough understanding of the medieval and early modern past. -- Rachel Fulton Brown, Associate Professor of Medieval History, The University of Chicago, USA Written in a consistently readable authorial voice, this tightly-woven text will hold students' attention and encourage discussion. The Rise of Western Power is the product of serious reflection and even personal introspection. As such, it offers a highly original and welcomed alternative to standard Western Civilization and World History textbooks. -- Jonathan Katz, Professor of History, Oregon State University, USA Jonathan Daly's book astonishes on every page. Written with an open, generous hand, it tells with accuracy in detail and sweep in theme the story of the rise of the West. Daly's scholarship is judicious, and amazingly thorough. He has written the best single-volume history of how we got here since William McNeill's pioneering of world history fifty years ago. Daly has written a truly world history, putting the European achievement-now thankfully copied and improved upon worldwide-in world historical and geographic context. -- Deirdre McCloskey, Distinguished Professor of Economics, History, English, and Communication, University of Illinois at Chicago, USA Unique, combining great scope (from prehistory to the twentieth century) and a single, compelling, authorial voice [...] His comparisons to other continents and civilizations are not simply bullet points but near-parallel narrative lines. [...] Daly deepens our understanding of how-for good or ill-the west rose to dominance. * Colloquy *Read more...